Parliament of Owls

Working with pupils at Hamilton School, Queensbury School and Rookery Base, we created the story of the Parliament of Owls, taking inspiration from a visit to see the owls and other birds of prey at the Hagley Falconry Centre. Our story started with a quarrel between the sun and the moon – who couldn’t agree to share the sky. We wrote and made an audio recording of a rhythmic retelling of our story, and made shadow puppets to act it out on a screen. Link to the audio and film to follow. Here’s the beginning of our story

Sun won’t leave the sky at sunset.
Moon won’t leave the sky at sunrise.
Day is better! says the Sun. No!
Night is better! says the Moon.
Sun is stubborn, Moon is moody.
Both are angry, both are selfish.

Night is light, and much too bright for
Stars to twinkle in the evening.
Nobody can sleep at night-time.
Nobody can get to dreamland.
Everyone is tired and grumpy!

Who can help us? ask the creatures.
Who are the wisest ones among us?
The owls! They meet high in the treetops.
The Parliament of Owls are wisest!
Let’s ask the owls. Can they tell us
Which is better? Day or night-time?

Writing on feathers for our Owlet

Shadow work to tell our story in pictures

Shadow puppets for night and day

Shadow puppets, little owls, creatures and masks to take home and treasure

Then, by bus, minibus and on foot, we all gathered at St Barnabas, Erdington, to hear our story with its happy ending, toast our work with juice and biscuits, and celebrate the Parliament of Owls and all the lovely creative things we’d made.

Our proud owlet was on display throughout the Big Hoot, and has been roosting at the three participating schools since September 2015.

Our Owlet, Parliament of Owls, lit by moonlight on one side and sunlight on the other